Telugu film actresses, producers and directors have pressed the Telangana government to release a two-year report on sexual harassment in the industry, as the first step towards creating a safe work environment.
The Association of Film Artistes and the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce are also learning to discuss how to tackle this issue.
The Voice of Women (VoW), a support group for women in the Telugu film industry, issued a statement on August 30 in parallel with the Hema Committee’s revelations about sexual exploitation in Malayalam cinema. The statement drew attention when it was shared on social media by actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, among others.
“We welcome the report of the Hema Committee and applaud the continuous efforts of the WCC (Women in Cinema Collective) in Kerala, which has paved the way so far. Taking a cue from the WCC, The Voice of Women was created in 2019. With this, we request the government to Telangana has issued a sub-committee report on sexual harassment, which can help formulate government and industry policies to create a safe working environment for women in the Telugu film industry,” the statement said.
Late report
The 235-page Hema Committee report on working conditions, discrimination and allegations of sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry had a snowball effect. After the report was announced on August 19, several actresses came forward and shared their experiences. Since then, there have been discussions about the need to investigate the other language film industry.
A similar study was conducted in the Telugu film industry after actor Sri Reddy’s allegations in 2018 and the #MeToo movement. However, the report submitted to the Telangana government in June 2022 is yet to be seen.
It can be from worms
In 2018, Ms. Sri Reddy alleged sexual harassment and staged a protest outside the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, which made everyone sit up and take notice. However, he was later shamed and banned by the Film Artists Association. Her allegations, however, opened a can of worms about the rampant sexual harassment in the industry and the problem is becoming difficult to brush under the carpet.
VoW was then formed as a support group, with several famous female producers, directors and actors coming forward with the aim of cleaning up the system. “VoW does not come out of the mandate of the government. It started as a collective support group for women in cinema, television, theater and media. We have to do this because until now, no film union will take the initiative to create a safe workplace for women, ” said actor Jhansi, a founding member speaking on behalf of VoW.
Producers Supriya Yarlagadda, Swapna Dutt, C. Kalyan, Damodar Prasad, and director Nandini Reddy are among those who have been actively engaging with various stakeholders in the industry on this issue since 2018. VoW members have started talking to production houses and unions to set up an Internal Complaints Committee, but felt that more action was needed.
High level committee
A public interest litigation filed by a joint action committee of Telangana Women’s Organization prompted the state government to set up a high-level committee (HLC) in the Department of Cinematography. It also includes members from the Department of Labour, Human Rights, and Women and Child Welfare, along with the State police. Later, a sub-committee was formed with members of the civil rights community and voluntary organizations as well.
A. Suneetha, an independent researcher and member of the All India Feminist Alliance, who is part of the HLC sub-committee, said that several interviews and sessions were conducted between July 2019 and March 2020, and again in 2021. After that, a report was finalized and submitted on 1 June 2022, to the then Chief Secretary, Somesh Kumar.
“Discussions were held with different trade unions in the film industry – known as craft councils – including the apex body of the trade union and representatives of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce. Councils of producers, women producers and directors were consulted to gather suggestions and recommendations,” Ms Suneetha said. describe the process of preparing the report.
Vulnerable women
“Rejecting the point of entry to work is an important issue,” said Ms. Jhansi, explained how the union which was supposed to be a welfare body had become a gatekeeper, demanding a huge registration fee of several lakh rupees, for which there was no receipt. . “They make women vulnerable. It remains a problem for female make-up artists to get a trade union card. They are only given a barber’s card,” he said. Female art directors and junior artists are also not easy.
“The key word (or euphemism) for sexual favors used to be ‘commitment’. Since the #MeToo movement, predators have changed the way they communicate, but the problem remains,” said Ms Jhansi. It is recommended that auditions take place in a public place, in the presence of other women.
Exploitation also extends to pay parity; Junior artists often do not pay for transportation or are shortchanged in fees. Film units are also recommended to ensure better working conditions for women, such as adequate bathrooms, changing rooms, and nursing home rooms.
Afraid to speak
The process was initially met with resistance. The committee members told how the heads of the trade unions and some production houses were even confused by the VoW members and would declare that there was no exploitation and the working conditions were being followed.
“In Malayalam cinema, the movement gained traction because the incident that led to the incident was in the lead actress, and other well-known actresses (Revathy, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal, etc.) made their strength,” said Ms. Jhansi.
In comparison, most women who act in Telugu cinema are reluctant to speak out for fear of being looked down upon. Ms. Jhansi cited her own career as an example. “I quit television anchoring last year and cinema is my bread and butter. But I got some opportunities because the film unit considered me an activist and feared that, on the sets, I might make it difficult for them,” he said.
WhatsApp groups and complaint boxes set up by the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce and some production houses have received several complaints, but Ms. Jhansi said women are still hesitant to take the legal route.
Instructions are required
Director Nandini Reddy said that if the Telangana government publishes the report and gives guidelines knowing the women groups and legal bodies, then it will pave the way. “If any actress or technician comes forward to take the legal route, they should not be ashamed. We have lost significant momentum and time due to the pandemic, but we hope that the current framework of guidelines will work.
However, since Sri Reddy’s allegations and the #MeToo movement, Ms. Reddy feels things have taken a turn for the better in Telugu cinema. “There are some more famous female producers and department heads. The new generation of directors also have a different work dynamic and want to create a fair workplace. There are times when people say they have been cheated. To avoid this situation, we have advised auditions done transparently, in a public place, in the presence of some women. The work system should be conducive to both women and men.”
